Industrial washing machine



July 22', 1941. 'D, P, SWTH 2,250,238

INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE v Filed Jan. 17, 1940 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 1NVENTOR.

A TT JRNEY.

D. P. SMITH 1 INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE.

Filed Jan. 17, 194

n n m July 22, 1941.

July 225?, 1M1.

D. P. SMITH INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHiNE Filed Jan. 17, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

D. P. SMITH INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE Filed Jan. 17, 1940 6Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

am/Z PA/ BY w ATTORNEY.-

July 22, 1941. D. P. SMITH 2,250,238

INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE I Filed Jan. 17, 1940 e' Sheets-SheetsINVENTOR,

ATTORNEY.

July z z, 1941. s rn- 2,250,238

- INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE ATTORNEY.

I Patented July 22, 1941 INDUSTRIAL WASHING MACHINE Donald r. Smith,Norwood, Ohio, asaignor'to m AlveyFerguson Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 17, 1940, Serial No. 314,285

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in industrial washing machinesfor cleaning, rinsing, drying, and treating parts and. .products whileconveyor dispatched. v

The washing and cleansing is preferably performed by sprays of liquidhaving a high coeillclent of turbulence and powerful stripping ac-' tiondirected from adjustable fan shaped nozzles upon the moving andadvancing articles from various directions and angles to insure floodingof comers and crevices of the articles. Successful cleaning resultslargely depend upon the proper solution, proper volume, and properpressure of sprays. Large volume and powerful wash sprays are highlydesirable for cleaning bake pans and the like articles. Thepowerfulsprays, however, will dispel articles of the class of bake pans from theconveyor when loosely disposed and set at random thereon, which wouldresult in a jamming of the machine and injury to the parts.

Forte economy and simplicity in operation, it is advantageous in loadingthe articles upon a continuously advancing conveyor that'an attend- 'antbe merely required to place the same at random thereon. Therefore, thepresent inventionis directed to means which, after the pans or articlesof that class have been loosely and at random loaded upon the conveyor,will hold the same thereon while subjected to high pressure sprays.

One method practiced is to hold the pans to the conveyor by heavypressure sprays directed downwardly from above the conveyor to prevailover the spray pressures directed upwardly. It, however, is morepertinent for articles as baking pans that the inside of the pansreceive the most effective cleansing, and consequently the inside of thepan should have all the forces available, and also should be placed inan inverted position upon the conveyor to drain the liquid and washedof! particles immediately therefrom.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a washing machinewith an adjustable grid .to extend completely over the conveyor toprevent the pans, placed loosely in an inverted position upon theconveyor, from being dispelled or rising oil the conveyor by the heavierforce available against the inner or lower side of the pans, and withoutregard to the force of a counter spray.

The spray solution, following a conventional practice, is pumped to thespray nozzles from a reservoir supply in the bottom of the machine intowhich it is drained for reuse. Iii the present instance the solutionfrom the sprayers is drained into a screen or sediment collectingcompartm'ent, stationed to be accessible from the exterior of themachine butleading back into the. reservoir. Another object of theinvention is to provide the washing machine with a solution .screeningand sediment collecting compartment accessible from the exterior of themachine, and to have the compartment subdivided into cells by relativelydifferent height and readily individually removable screens, permittingthe solution to overflow from one cell into the next adjoining as theybecome sediment filled, normal- 1y providing for a multiple screeningbefore the solution is redrained into the supply reservoir forreuse,'and to adapt removal of the sediment and cleaning of the screenswhile the machine is in service and without interruption to thescreening operation.

After the articles have been treated with a wash spray, they generallyare successively subjected or treated with a rinse spray following withthe continuous travel of the conveyors through a successive section orchamber of the machine. The operation and'apparatus employed may besubstantiallyv the a duplicate of that employed for-washing. The advanceof articles upon the conveyor, as for the washing stage or period,likewise are held to the conveyor against displacement, or from beingdispelled therefrom by theforce or pressure of therinse sprays, by anadjustable grid extending lengthwise of the conveyor. I

Following the rinsing stage or period, the articles in their continuedtravel with the conveyor pass through a heating chamber for drying.Initially upon entry into the heating chamber, the articles aresubjected to opposing hot air blasts. For this purpose the grid from therinsing chamber extends into the drying chamber to servecorrespondingly, as when the articles on the conveyor are subjected tothe liquid sprays, andto carry the hot air delivery nozzle or nozzlesdischarging from one side or above the conveyor for adjustment unitarilywith the grid.

'I'he drying chamber or section of the washer is heated in any suitablemanner, as for ex-' ample, by a plurality of gas burners disposedbeneath the conveyor in its forward course. The heated air is drawn froma rearward end of the chamber, preferably by a rotary orcentrifugalblower, for forcible delivery to and discharge from a transverse row ofnozzles onto the conveyor transported articles, and also to provide fora forcible and continuous circulation of the air through the dryingchamber.

It is therefore another object of the invention to providea dryingsection or chamber of a washer with opposing hot air delivery .nozzlesdischarging against the articles, on the conveyor and into the chamber,and in conduit supply connection .with the chamber remotely from thenozzles and having interposed air pumping means for circulating orrecirculating the air through the chamber.

' Further features and advantages of the invention will be more fullyset forth in a description of the accompanying drawings, in which:

.Figure 1 is a perspective view of the industrial washing machine,embodying the improvements.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on line 2-4, Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3, Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section on line 4-4, Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a horizontal section on line 5-5, ure 2. n

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-8, Figure 1, through the solutionscreening and sediment collecting compartment.

. Figure 'l is a section on line '!-1, Figure 6.

Figure 8 is an enlarged side elevation of the machine by a suitable typeof conveyor for a continuous operation and the handling of the largevolume. In the present instance, for the purpose of exemplification, thedescription of the machine will be confined to its use for cleaning alltypes of bakery pans.

The operation of the machine being continuous, the pans are receivedinto the machine on 'a conveyor at one end and delivered by the conveyorfrom an opposite end clean and dry, ready for reuse. -The washingmachine therefore coordinates with a system of baking and eliminates anexcessive 'stock of pans aside from the cleansing advantages,

For bread pans the washing is not generally necessary after each baking,while it is necessary for pieand pastry pans and the magnitude. of thepan washing problem can berealized when one is informed that manybakeries average for one day's use twenty-five thousand to thirtythousand pans. The machine for pan washing provides for four stages ofoperation, namely,-

power washing, power rinsing, blower where the excess water is removedby hot air stream and drier.

The ,machine for the cleaning stage provides a large reservoir for asupply of solution, a high volume strong pressure centrifugal pump whichdelivers the solution from the reservoirto the wash pipes that directpowerful stripping sprays screened or settled to remove foreign matter,and

returned to the reservoir for reuse; The same principle is employed inthe power rinsing stage with clear water. I

Referring to the drawings,-l indicates the washer casing fabricated fromsheet and bar metal stock, and interiorly is provisioned for the variousstages of operation and service for the 'individual needs of the work,continuously conveyed in a longitudinal course through the casing.Various types of conveyors may be mgrid for holding orkeeping the panson the conveyor.

ployed, as gravity roller, trolley, chain, etc.', de-

pending upon the nature or character of the articles or work. v

The conveyor admirablefor the various types of bakery pans comprises apair of spaced conveyor chains 2, 2, each engaged over a pair ofsprocketsat relative opposite ends of the casing and constituting anidler sprocket I and adriving sprocket 4. The idler sprockets 3 for eachchain are floating upon a common shaft 5, journailed in bearings movableor slidably mounted in the relative opposite sides of a snout 6projected from the forward end of the casing. The receiving endof theconveyor therefore extends beyond the entrance of the casing for loadingthe work upon the conveyor exterior of the casing. The slidable bearingsfor the shaft 5 carrying the idler sprocket wheels are each engaged by aspring to urge the bearings forwardly, and thus provide a spring loadedtake-up to compensate for the expansion and contraction of the chain dueto changes in temperature.

The driving sprockets l are fixed upon a common drive shaft I iournalledin bearings mounted in the opposite sides of a snout'extension at therear or delivery end of the casing for unloading on the parts orproducts. The solution is then 7 support on one side of the casing. Thedriving" means for the conveyor is conventional, and may be of any othertype as a-variable speed pulley.

The forward and return runs of the conveyor chains between the sprocketsare supported and tracked by rails l3, J4, preferably of angle iron,form, and mounted upon cross ties or other means of support ascomponents of the machine casing. The conveyor chains 2, 2, ar connectedby parallel cross rods It, the spacing of the rods for the instanceillustrated in Figure 5 corresponding to the joint distances of thechain links, so that the rods serve for pivotally connecting the linksof the chains.

The rods, between the chains at determined spacing, and for eachadjacent pair of=rods, are

. connected by links l8 combining to form a flexpermit freedom forvertical rise when subjected to a spray .pressure directed thereagainstfrom beneath, and avoid the pans from being dispelled from the conveyoror release from it conveying influence. The conveyor traverses thecasing approximately midway or central of its height to furnish amplereservoir or compartment space I sum therebeneath and within the casingfor some of the divisions of the machine.

Therefore, the washer division of the machine, located at the forwardend of the casing, is provided with a solution reservoir it, built inwith the casing and closed by a cover or drain plate I. The cover ordrain plate is collects the solution delivered from the spray nozzlesafter drenching the articles upon the conveyor, and drains the sametogether with any sediment 7 or foreign matter washed oif of theconveyed articles into a straining or screening tank 20, located at thefront end of one exterior side of the casing.

The tank 20 is provided with a hinged 'top cover 2i, which, when open,exposes the full area of the tank interior for removal of the screeningframes and sediment while the machine is in operation, and withoutinterruption to the operation.

The drainage from the reservoir cover plate I! flows into the tank 20through an opening 22 in the wall of the casing and located at the topof the tank. The tank 20 is provided with a false bottom 23, subdividingits interior into an upper receiving compartment 24 and a lower deliverycompartment 25, the compartments intercommunicating through an opening28 in the false bottom 23. The delivery compartment communicates withthe reservoir it! through an opening 21 in the casing wall partitioningthe tank and reservoir.

The opening 26 in the false bottom 23 is protected by a screen 28,removably disposedand resting'upon the bottom. The receiving compartment24 of the solution screening tank is vide complete coverage of the partsand are 'adiustable as to position They are of commercial type and formno. part of the present invention, so detail description thereof isheresubdivided into cells by a plurality of relatively spaced andparallel screens 29, each having its opposite ends slidably engagedrespectively in a channel guide 30 on the opposite end walls of thetank. The screens are of relatively different height, thereby. formingrelatively different depths of cells with the first in order to receivethe solution from the washer of ashallower depth than the next adjoiningcell, and so on for the series. Thus, upon the first cell filling withsediment, the solution will overflow into the second cell, and so on'forthe series.

The plurality of screens normally provides for a multiple screening ofthe solution before .it returns to or re-enters the reservoir, and bythedifferential height of screens the machine is capable of operation forlong periods before all of thecells would be filled, and allow overflowinto the last of the series of cells in direct communication with thedelivery'chamber or compartment 25.

As the screens are individually removable, they may be separatelycleaned and the sediment removed from either of the cells while thewasher is in operation, as the screens need only be removed one at a,time, leaving the others in place for straining the solution during thebelow the conveyor and equipped with discharge nozzles 34 for deliveryof a fan-shaped spray that directs powerful strippingsprays on the pansor products to insurecomplete cleaning. r

lo at d to pro- As in the instance shown in Figure 2, a second Thenozzles are arranged and "thin, and together with the moisture on the inomitted.

For heating the solution in the reservoir, a suitable steam coil 35 isemployed. As it is preferable for drainage to place the pans in aninverted position upon the conveyor, the'inside of the pans are exposedto the lower seriesof spray nozzles, and as the inside of the pansrequire the most cleaning, the lower sprayers should have all the forceavailable. The force of the water tends to lift the pans off of theconveyor, and therefore a grid disposed-above the conveyor is providedfor holding the pans down.

The grid comprises a plurality of light uniformly spaced rectangularbars 36 extending longitudinally of the conveyor or washer division ofthe machine assembled into a unit and adjustable as to height. Each gridbar at several points in its length is suspendingly pivotally connectedto one end of a series of links 31. The opposite end of the links, eachis provided with a hub 38 pivotally mounted upon a cross rod 39, havingits opposite ends fixed within a frame 4|) adjustably mounted within theeasing. The hub ends of the links control the spacing of the grid bars,and being abuttingly in contact with one another on the crossrod, eachis free to swing and sustained against lateral displacement.

Each grid bar is spring-urged by a spring 41, having one end fixed tothe bar at an end link connection thereof, and the opposite end of thespring is fixed to a limb of a U-shaped clip 42 dependingly fixed on anend bar of the grid bar supporting frame 40. ;'The stationary end of thespring is adapted I to be engaged through one of several apertures inthe limb of the clip for regulating the tension of the spring. Eachcontacting surface of the pan, offers but a slight resistance to theadvance of the pans, insufiicient to mar or injure the surface of thepans with which they contact. The grid bars extend completely over thepressure points, and will prevent the pans from rising oil the conveyor.

The grid frame 40 at each of its opposite sides is provided with a pairof perpendicular rack bars 43, each bar slidably supported by a pair ofguide brackets 44 fixed to a side wall of the casing. Each rack bar ofan opposing pair is in mesh with a pinion 45 fixed upon a common crossshaft 46, journalled in bearings and mounted upon the side walls of thecasing. The cross shafts 46, each at one end, exterior of the casing,has a worm wheel 41 fixed thereon in mesh with a worm fixed upon acounter shaft 48 extending longitudinally of and exterior of one side ofthe machine casing. The forward end of the counter shaft 48 carriesabevel gear chamber. jet form, and positioned to jet relativelyintermedivision within the machine is .utilized for power rinsing, andthus duplicates a washer division and may be considered a secondary washwith clear water since the mechanical stripping action of the sprays ispresent. For the second division, a second grid is employed, instructure substantially as described for the first division, andtransmittingly connecting with the counter shaft 48 for adjusment by thehand wheel 52 simulta neously with the grid in the first division.

The power rinsing division, similarly as the washer division, isprovided with a centrifugal electric motor driven pump 53, which takesits clear water supply from a reservoir within the washer casing anddelivers the rinse water to pipes disposed above and below the conveyorand equipped with suitable sprayernozzles.

The washer and rinsing divisions both are provided for making thenecessary steam and water service connections controlled by valves 54exterior. of the casing. In the present instance three valves aredisclosed for each of said divisions, one for the steam supply to thesolution heating steam coil, a second for .the water or liquid supply tothe reservoir, and the third for injectors employed for initiallyquickly heating the solution. The forward upper end of the casing has avent hood 55 extending therefrom and over the extruding loading end of'the conveyor for carrying off any heat or vapors emitting from I theentrance of the casing.

After washing and rinsing, the pans continue in their advance by meansof the conveyor through a drier or other divisions of the machine toadminister whatever further progressive treatment may be necessary ordesired.

In the present instance, the articles on leaving the rinsing section orchamber are transported by the conveyor through a drying section orchamber 51 as shown in Figure 13. A plurality of gas burners 58 extendtransversely of the chamber or conveyor, and are interposed between theforward and return portions or runs .of the conveyor for heating theinterior of the drying chamber. Various other methods and means may beemployed for heating.

The rearward end of the grid within the rinsing chamber is extended toproject into the receiving end of the drying chamber for holding thearticles to the conveyor while passing between a set of blow-ofi or hotair spray nozzles 59, 60. The lower nozzles 59 are rigidly mounteddirectly beneath the forward course of the conveyor and diate of thelower nozzles. The upper nozzles are fixed to the rear end of the gridframe 40 thereby unitarily adjustable with the-grid for always jettingthe same distance'from the pans and at an angle of 90 degrees.' Thenozzles telescopically engage into the manifold 52 to accommodate foradjustment.

As it is'desirableto partition the drying chamber from the rinsingchamber, and to close and seal as much of the ends of said chamber aspossible without interference to the conveyor and material transportedthereon, a rear end wall section 53 is provided for the rinsing chamber,and correspondingly a front wall section 64 for the drying chamber. Thewalls 63 and 64 are supported upon and fixed to the grid frame 40 tomove unitariiy therewith in a grid adjustment.

The hot air duct or manifold 62 is in conduit connection with a blower55, which in turn by a conduit 66 connects and communicates with theupper side of the drying chamber 51. The hot air supply for the nozzlesis thereby taken from approximately the rear end of the drying chamberand forcibly delivered to the nozzles jetting the hot air upon thetransported articles or pans at the forward or receiving end of thedrying chamber. Consequently, the air in its return to the dryingchamber is forced through the chamber.

The circulating air increases the drying efficiency, reducing the dryingperiod, which accordingly permits a reduction in the length of thedrying Qiamber and correspondingly tothe length of the conveyor,effecting economy in construction costs. The jetting of heated airagainst the articles blows off the water from the pans as they enter thedrying chamber, so that they can be completely dried in a comparativelyshort length of conveyor travel through the drying chamber so that theyare completely cleaned and dried as they emerge from the drying chamber.

A baflie or shield plate 61 is disposed longitudinally within the dryingchamber to intermedially partition the interior of the chamber fordirecting the air flow longitudinally of the conveyor. and deflect thesame from direct communication with the blower intake conduit 66 towhich a stack connection is also made.

While the invention has been exemplified for cleansing bakery pans, itis obvious that the machine is susceptible for washing or treating manyother products. The wash or treatment solutions differ for various kindsand types of work, and are of a character to meet the particularrequirements. Different problems require different solutions. This alsofollows for the number and kinds of treatment and the order ofadministration.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A washing machine of the character described, a casing, an endlessconveyor extending longitudinally through the casing, sprayer meanswithin the casing directing wash sprays of liquid on 'the articledeposited upon and advanced by the conveyor, and a grid, comprising, aplurality of parallel link suspended spaced bars extendinglongitudinally of the conveyor for contacting the articles on saidconveyor, each bar independently movable and yieldingly urged toward theconveyor to hold the article from rising therefrom by the force of thespray administered thereagainst, said bars as a unit adjustable towardand from the plane of the conveyor.

2. A washing machine of the character described, a casing, an endlessconveyor extending a longitudinally through the casing, sprayer meanswithin the casing directing wash sprays of liquid on the articledeposited upon and advanced by the conveyor, a grid, comprising, aplurality of parallel spaced bars extending longitudinally of I theconveyor for contacting the articles on said conveyor, each bar,independently movable and adjust the bars as a unit toward and from the.

plane of the conveyor.-

3. A washing machine of the character described, a casing, an endlessconveyor extending longitudinally through the casing, sprayer meanswithin the casing directing wash sprays oi liquid on the articledeposited upon and advanced by the conveyor, a grid, comprising, aplurality of parallel spaced bars extending longitudinally of theconveyor for contacting the articles on said conveyor, each barindependently movable and yieldingly urged toward the conveyor to holdthe tinuously advancing articles deposited thereon. an adjustable gridsuspended above the conveyor for yielding linear contact with theadvancing articles to hold the same on the conveyor while administeringa liquid Jetted thereagainst, an enclosure for a section of the conveyorto provide a drying chamber for the conveyor transported articles,meansfor withdrawing air from said chamber and forcibly letting the sameagainst the articles on the conveyor, said grid means extending intosaid chamber to hold the articles upon the conveyor while subjected tothe pressure of the air jetted thereagainst, and nozzles within thechamber for letting the air against the articles upon entrance into saidchamber, said nozzles mounted upon said grid for unitary adjustmenttherewith.

' DONALD P. SMITH.

